‘Ghana Must Go’ bag turned into stylish polo shirt – here’s the price and where to buy

• French streetwear brand 4 The People has reimagined the iconic ‘Ghana Must Go’ bag’s distinctive checkered pattern as a modern polo shirt.

• The bag’s name dates back to 1983, when Nigeria expelled more than two million undocumented immigrants, including a significant number of Ghanaians who used the bags to carry their belongings home.

• From a symbol of migration and hardship, the bag has evolved into an everyday household item and a source of inspiration for African fashion, art and contemporary design.

The fashion piece was created by French streetwear label '4 The People', which drew inspiration from the instantly recognisable blue, red and white checkered pattern associated with the famous travel bag.

The brand’s reinterpretation gives the culturally significant item a new identity within contemporary fashion, turning a symbol long associated with migration and displacement into a statement piece.

The “Ghana Must Go” Polo is currently priced at US$59 and is available for purchase through the brand’s official online store, Exotic 4 The People.

Shop the “Ghana Must Go” Polo at Exotic 4 The People

READ MORE: What happened at Ghana Party in the Park—and what organisers and police have confirmed

The ‘Ghana Must Go’ bag carries a complicated history in West Africa. Its name is linked to the mass expulsion of undocumented immigrants from Nigeria in 1983, when more than two million people were ordered to leave the country. Ghanaians made up a significant proportion of those affected, leading to the bags used by many migrants to carry their belongings becoming popularly known across the region as ‘Ghana Must Go’ bags.

Over the years, however, the distinctive bag has evolved beyond its painful historical association and become a recognisable cultural symbol. Its unmistakable pattern has increasingly found its way into art, fashion and popular culture.

The decision by 4 The People to reinterpret the design as a polo shirt is therefore more than a simple fashion experiment. It represents another example of how an object rooted in a difficult chapter of West African migration history continues to be reimagined by creatives around the world.

READ MORE: 'Stop comparing us!' - Shatta Wale calls for an end to fan wars with Stonebwoy (VIDEO)

The bag has previously inspired fashion and art projects, including a 2020 clothing line by New York-based Nigerian photographer Obinna Obioma, demonstrating its growing influence beyond its original practical purpose.

4 The People’s latest creation has once again placed the familiar pattern in the spotlight, prompting discussions about culture, history, migration and the ways in which symbols from Africa’s past can be transformed into modern fashion statements.